Improvement in harvesters



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAooB L. rAxsoN, or NoaEisTowN, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN HARVESTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 27,826, dated April 10, 1860.

To all whom it 'may concern:

Beitknown thatI, JACOB L.I?AXSON, of Norristown, in county ofMontgomery and State of'Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Harvesters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which make a part of this speciiication, in which- Figure l is a top view ofthe machine. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, oaf the same. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the cutter-bar and its attachments through the red line x xof Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a top view of the forked lever Q and yokes It R, detached from the machine. Fig. 5is an edge view of the same. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the machine.

. Vhere the like letters occur in all the gures they represent the same parts of the machine.

The nature ofv my invention will be understood-from the following description, the machine being constructed, arranged, and operating substantially as I will hereinafter describe.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A is the frame, to which the several parts of the machine are attached.

B is the shaft or axle.

G is the driving-wheel on the" axle B, having zigzag inclines a on its sides at its periphery, for the purpose of communicating motion to the knife-rack, as will hereinafter be described.

E is the finger-bar, and F are the lingers attached to the same.

D is a carrier-wheel, of the' same diameter as the driving-wheel C, and revolves loosely on the axle B for the purpose of making the machine turn easily on the ground.

G arethe knives, which are hung on the bolts or pivots b in the finger-bar E.

H are the lower knife-jaws. They have pins c, which fit looselyin the fingers F. There are flat pieces I of india-rubber beti'veen the said iingers and the jaws H for the purpose of springing the latter against the knives G to insure the knives cutting cleanly, the pins C in the lowerjaws fitting loosely in the fingers F for that purpose. India-rubber, leather, or any other elastic substance which will produce a similar effect may be used.

J is a vibrating rack having teeth j for giving an oscillating motion to the knives G, the said rack receiving its motion in the manner I will presently describe.

K is a plate, which covers the knife-rack J and knives Gr to protect them from dust, &c.

L L are bars, which are hung at the upper end by the axle B, and are connected at their lower end with the finger-bar E.

Mis a guard of the finger-bar E and lever Q. It is fastened by means-of bolts or otherwise on the under side of the lower ends of the bars L.

N is a shoe, which is bolted to the fingerbar E. It has acarrier-wheel, O,in its rear end.

P is a caster-wheel that supports the front end of the frame H.

Q is a forked lever connecting at its lower end with the knife-rack J by means of a notch, d, in the upper side of said rack, and at its upper end, by means of the pins ee,with the yokes E R, which work on the axle B.

S S are friction-rollers arranged in the fork 0f the lever Q, which bear against the zigzag inclines a on the wheel C during the revolutions ofthe said wheel. B y applying the power between the fulcrum of the said lever and its connection with the knife-rack J, as represented, I get a much less angle to the inclines c of the wheel C to give the same velocity to the knives than when the fulcrum is centrally arranged.

Tis a bent lever, connecting with the bar u and crookedleverV, for the purpose of throwing the lever Q out of gear. W is a similar lever, connecting with one of the bars L by means of the rod j', for raising and lowering the finger-bar E.

XX are racks for holdin g the levers T and W.

Y is the receiving-platfbrm for the grain as it falls from theknives or cutters Gr, it being secured at its front end to the finger-bar E, and supported at its rear end by the carrier g, connecting with the bolts h and i.

The operation is as follows: As the machine moves forward the zigzag inclines, corrugations, or indentations on each side of the driving-wheel G, coming successively in contact with the friction-rollers S S on the inside edges of the forked lever Q, give a reciprocating motion to said lever, and the front end of the 1ever being connected with the knife-rack J,

said rack is made to vibrate and give a rapid 4 oscillation to the knives G,oausing thciredges l. The combination of the forked lever Q to pass alternately over the edges of the lower jaws, H, between which they are situated, the elastic piece I, under the said jaws, holding the latter up against the knives to insure -a perfect rubbing of their faces to produce a clean and sure out. The linger-bar E is raised and lowered at option by the lever NV, which communicates with it by means of the rod f, and the knife-rack J is thrown in and out of gear with the forked lever Q by the lever T, which connects with the bar U and crooked lever V. Theinner end of the latter, being under the said lever Q, causes it to fall and rise with it to come in and out of gear, as may be desired.

Having thus fully described the construction and operation of the harvester as invented or improved by me, whatI claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

and yokes R R with shaft B and the cutting apparatus, the parts. being constructed, arranged, and operated in the manner and for the purpose specified.

2. The peculiar manner of connecting the platform-frame with the main frame, which is supported by the Wheels C D, by the bars L L and bolts h i, the parts being arranged and connected in the manner and for the purpose substantially as set forth.

In testimony that the above is my invention I have hereunto axed my hand and seal this 22d day of February, A. l). 1860.

JACOB L. PAXsoN. [n s] Witnesses:

JoHN S. GoLcroN, LEVI J. GARRETT. 

